I wish you the best in keeping that positivity, I truly do. 20 years ago I felt the same way. I've learned a lot over the past decades, and sadly what was promised me when I got into this business was not delivered. I've contemplated those events retrospectively and the lessons were not missed. Your answer, if I don't like my pension being stolen, millions lost in paycuts (while my management makes themselves multi-multi millionaires) is to quit. Why would I do that? I'm a professional pilot. I care about the pilots coming behind me (and that includes you). I'm not going to just pack up my toys and go home and leave this job in tatters for the next generation. 1) Because my family travels on airplanes, and their safety matters to me. 2) Because pilots before me stood up to the never ending crush of airline management to try to keep making this a job worth doing. I spent my whole life working to get where I am and you want me to just quit because some CEO who is going to be here 5 years before cashing his Golden Parachute makes my life difficult? I'm not a quitter. And I'm not going to get run over without a fight. Treat me well, and you'll get the same in return. Unfortunately, most airline managers don't want to see the value of that.
You obviously wanted to end this discussion, so why am I bothering to type this? (I'm asking myself that right now).
. The reason is that you are the future, and it concerns me. Not that you want to be happy in this job: I think that's great. It's that you don't understand why so many people are UNhappy with this job. It's not that we are all just a bunch of whiners. It's because sadly, in this business, many managements will take advantage of your enthusiam and cut, cut, cut: you contract, your pay, your retirement, your pilot positions, and your time off.... Just because they can. They won't stop until they feel that they have reached the limit of what they can get out of you, and they know they've reached the limit that when the complaining gets SO loud that the operation falls apart.
Best of luck in your career. The next generation is counting on you to keep it safe and worth doing